The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1887-10-15


attack by an assault with Lovcll's division ON
the left of Rosecrans, i'll the hope that the
latter would strengthen that position hv
Withdrawing troops from his right, where
upon Price was to swing around and make
the principal assault OH that weak point.
RosecranS. being appriscd of the approach of
the caclny, had taken position that was
defended hy a line of new and strong i'll
trcnchmcntS which Ind been constructed
within the old Notifications, and nearer the
town.
His forces consisted of two divisions of his
OWN army under Stanley and Hamilton, and
two divisions OF tho Army of the Tennessee,
commanded by Davies and Mckcan Hamil-
ton was on the right, Davies in the ccntcrand
Mexican Oh the left, with Stanley in reserve.
The engagement began about 10 O'Clock, when
Lowell, who hail the Confederate right, ell
countered McKean's and Davies divisions
near he outer works, penetrated II broad gap
between tho two and forced back the Union
line to the inner redoubt~. Prices corps
made another attack upon Davies division
later, driving it back upon battery
Robinctt, where at sunset the fighting
ceased for the day. Cen Price lmli,v-
ing that his men wcre not equal to fur
tlier exertion owing to tho fact that thcv had
previously marched many miles without
water, and We're utterly exhausted. or this
incident Gen. Van Dorm says: ~ saw with
regret the sun sink below the horizon as tho
last shot of our sharl,sliootcrs followed, the
retreatinS foe into their innernost lines Ono
hour more of daylight and victory would
have soothed our grief for the loss of the
gallant dead who sleep on that lost but not
dislonorch field Col. Francis Nintnn
Greene, of the United States army, ,lescril,-
ing the results of the day, says: "rhc lnttlo
had been most encouraging for the Con-
tolerate arms RosecranS had been driven
back for II distance of about two miles and
had taken refuge in the rcdoubts Just outside
of the town. The Confederates passed the
night within few hundred yards of those
redouhts, and they hoped on the morrow to
complete the destruction of the Union army.
This army, however, was by no means do
moralizca or dishcartencd; and during the
night its position was SO rearr;ngc,l us to
make n strong defense in the morning"
Mckcnn's division was placed on the ex-
tremc left, south OF the Memphis railroad;
Stanley took post across that road to defend
batteries Williams and Robinett, Davies
moved to the northwest of the town and
llanilton's division formed the extreme
right ltosecrans' force of 23,OO0 men wns,
therefore, concentrated on tho arc of circle
around Cornth less than two miles in length,
and the prominent points of the line were de-
Tended ly strong redo,lbts.
Van Dorm had also rcarrungc his troo,s
during the night, Lowell being placed on the
south of the Memphis railroad, Maury in
front of battery kobinctt and Prices corps
on the left. The plan was for Gen. Herbert
on the extreme left to begin action at day
light and, pivoting OH bis right swing his
left down the railroad toward the town, while
Maury's batteries were to open ON battery
kobinctt
The order was not executed, and the center
becoming engaged tho plum was dsarrange,l
Some of the most desperate fighting Of the
war, however, followed. The troops pttted
against each other were veterans, aud the
struggle between m was not unfrequently
at close quarters. When one OF the
assaulting columns swept up to charge
the Onion center IL was in the face
of n fearful storm of OF and shell from the
great guns i'll Forts Williams and Chapman,
but, filling the gaps in the ranks as fast ns
they were made, they dashed forward on tho
full run. a Federal officer who was present
says of the Confcderntes: "Wllcn cur infantry
opened on them they marched steadily to
death with their faces avcrted, like men striv-
ing to protect themselves from II driving
storm of hail" The assailing column pressed